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The Community Reference Group consists of members from the community who are not registered health practitioners.

Mark Bodycoat

Chair, Community Reference Group

Mr Bodycoat studied arts and law at the University of Western Australia, and has worked as a solicitor in private and government practice. From 1996 to 1998 he was Acting Commissioner for Consumer Affairs in Western Australia. From 2000 to 2007 he was South Australia’s Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, and was Public Trustee in South Australia from 2007 until 2010.

He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Jurisprudence (B. Juris), Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) and is also a trained mediator. Mark is a current community member of the Medical Board of Australia and the South Australian Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. He is also a former community member of the Podiatry Board of Australia and the South Australian Board of the Medical Board of Australia.

Annette Chivers

Darlene Cox

Ms Cox has been a member of Health Care Consumers Association since 1996. She is an eminent advocate for health consumers with an excellent knowledge of the health system, both locally and nationally. Ms Cox has a strong, practical understanding of community engagement principles, clinical governance and health literacy. She has been the Executive Director of Health Care Consumers’ Association Incorporated since 2008. She is a member of the ACOSS Board and is also a member of the Specialist Education Accreditation Committee with the Australian Medical Council.

Jacqui Gibson-Roos

Ms Gibson is passionately committed to developing greater transparency for governance within the healthcare system and retaining a system that is inclusive of all Australians. She has a strong interest in self-management and consumer participation, having worked on a number of programs involving developing strategies to integrate consumer participation into community health programs. Furthermore, she is an active consumer who has been involved in a number of boards and committees as a member, chair and co-chair, including Inner South Community Health Service Community Participation Committee, Prahran Mission Board, Chair of Leadership Plus Board and Southern Metropolitan Mental Health Council. Jacqui is a judge of the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards 2013.

Sophy Athan

Ms Athan has had diverse roles as a health advocate in the sector for over 15 years and has a strong interest in mental health, disability, aged care and women’s health. Ms Athan brings experience from employment in senior executive roles at the state and local government levels. She is currently a Director of Euroforce Music. Ms Athan sits on a number of health, consumer and carer committees. These roles include Health Issue Centre (Chair), Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Community Advisory Committee (Chair) and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Community Advisory Committee. Ms Athan has presented at conferences and workshops on the consumer and carer perspective; a perspective she continues to share in her role for the Community Reference Group.

Kate Griggs

Mrs Griggs is passionate about advocating for social justice for vulnerable people, and has expertise in mental health and suicide prevention policy. She has worked in public service, political offices and the community sector. Alongside parenting duties, she is an active advocate in Tasmania’s health networks.

Patricia Hall

Ms Hall is a strong advocate for clear, inclusive communication strategies that engage disadvantaged people in appropriate health care. Ms Hall is a social worker by training and has experience in the areas of personal injury, human resource management and administrative law. She has been a community member on the Queensland Mental Health Review Tribunal since 2002 and on the Social Security Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal since 2004. During this time Ms Hall also served as an Official Visitor for the then Queensland Department of Corrections, as a community member on the Brisbane Royal Children’s Hospital District Health Council and as an Independent Merits Reviewer of off-shore refugee cases for protection.

Elspeth McGavin

John McGurk

Mr McGurk’s expertise lies in governance, organisational effectiveness, operational efficiency and change management. He has a career in banking, finance and technology that has spanned 50 years. He has been a Chairman, Executive Director and Non-Executive Director on 14 boards since 1989, including listed and non-listed companies, and not-for-profit organisations. These roles included Chairman of the Western Australian Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal for 14 years and serving as an HBF Councilor for four years. Mr McGurk’s experience includes leading major organisational change, customer service programs and extensive experience with customer complaints management systems.

Colleen Papadopoulos

Ms Papadopoulos brings experience in governance and public administration, where she has spent time addressing and understanding complex social and organisational issues in the health and community services sector. She has a passion for assisting community boards to build governance capacity and improved performance, and has a record of successfully leading companies through audit and compliance improvement, incorporation, transition, restructuring and culture change. Her professional qualifications include a Master of Public Health, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance. She is a mediator and facilitator, with experience teaching independent living skills and in supporting people with disability and disadvantage. Ms Papadolous is a practicing Chartered (Corporate) Secretary and Independent Director with board/committee experience in a number of capacities, including Chair, Deputy Chair, Executive Director and Independent/Non-executive Director.

Donald Sword

Mr Sword advocates for‎ people experiencing homelessness in Sydney and teaches law and ethics at the Sydney Institute of TAFE. He is a member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Guardianship Division), the NSW State Parole Authority, the Justice Disability Advisory Council and, the Legal Aid Review Committee of the NSW Legal Aid Commission. He has served as an Official Community Visitor appointed by the NSW Minister for Disability Services and, as the Official Visitor to forensic patients in Long Bay Correctional Centre. On behalf of the NSW Ombudsman, he delivers training programs on complaint handling to state and federal government departments, universities and community service organisations.